Ochiba
Ochiba was one of the 32 Nar from Gea-Xle who joined the Black Company alongside Mogaba in Shadow Games. After the awful Siege of Dejagore, he became one of Croaker's top generals throughout the remainder of the Shadowmaster wars. ''Bleak Seasons'' During the Siege of Dejagore, he was third-in-command of the Nar, answering to Sindawe and ultimately to Mogaba. In an underground chamber of the citadel of Dejagore, Ochiba and Mogaba were the primary officiants of human sacrifice and blood-drinking ceremonies in their cult worship of Kina. Since rations were depleted during the siege, he and Mogaba and a few of the other Nar committed cannibalism of the native Jaicuri on account of the famine. This was observed by Uncle Doj, who at the behest of Ky Dam brought along Murgen to be another witness. After the siege, he was one of the 12 Nar who accompanied Sindawe in abandoning Mogaba publicly to return to Croaker, the genuine Captain. Only three other Nar accompanied Mogaba when he left the Company. Afterward, Ochiba, Sindawe, and the other Nar became fiercely loyal to Croaker and Lady to earn forgiveness for their support of Mogaba during the Siege of Dejagore. ''She Is the Darkness'' Although Ochiba's Company rank was unspecified (presumably, sergeant), he was a general in the Prahbrindrah Drah's Taglian army, answering directly to Lady, who was the Company's Lieutenant (second-in-command). By the time the Company reached the shadowgate in She Is the Darkness, only Ochiba, Isi, and Sindawe remained alive of the 13 Nar who rejoined Croaker. All three of them join the Company leadership when they attempt a scouting mission across the glittering plain. Ochiba and Isi became members of the Captured when Soulcatcher sprang her trap at the fortress with no name. ''Water Sleeps'' Ochiba, Isi, and the rest of the Captured remained in the cave of the ancients, untouched and unconscious, for at least 15 years. Ochiba was identified by Sleepy and her rescue party, but, because of time and resource restrictions, he was not among the first 5 people liberated during her first wave of rescues. Ochiba and Isi were not mentioned in the Annals by name again, so their specific fates are not known. But, according to a blanket statement recorded by Sleepy, they were among those released from their stasis by Company wizards during one of Sleepy's subsequent expeditions back and forth between the fortress and the Company's new headquarters, the Abode of Ravens in Hsien. Ochiba presumably participated in the creation and training of the Company's new army, recruited from Hsien. It is also known that, less than five years after Ochiba's liberation (toward the end of Soldiers Live) Croaker noted that only he (Croaker) and Lady remained alive of the Captured. If this is accurate, it meant that Ochiba either died sometime either during the four-year gap between Water Sleeps and Soldiers Live (like Otto and Hagop, who died of natural causes in peacetime), or, more likely, during combat in Soldiers Live (such as, the Battle at the Shadowlander cemetery or the Siege of Taglios). Category:Characters Category:Black Company Category:Nar Category:The Captured